Hyundai Sonata Complaints (2015)

1,208 consumer complaints on file.

#11742036June 4, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while idling at a stop light the vehicle suddenly stalled. The engine did not restart and the vehicle was pushed to a nearby parking space. During the failure no warning lights or messages had displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 123,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741060May 30, 2026
ENGINE
2015 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L Theta II GDI engine experienced complete failure due to connecting rod bearing defect. Vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership prior to failure to report engine knock symptoms. Dealer confirmed KSDS (Service Campaign 953) was installed but performed no inspection and provided no repair order. Engine subsequently failed with no warning light activation despite KSDS being installed. This is a known defect covered under the Theta II class action settlement lifetime warranty. Warranty repair has not been provided and no loner car has been provided.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740388May 27, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle skipped and failed to exceed 35 MPH. The contact received notification of Hyundai Service Campaign Number: 9C2 (ECU SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THETA II EMISSIONS IMPROVEMENT), and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic converter was clogged and needed to be replaced at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact's son, who was an independent mechanic, determined that the ECU might have sent erroneous signals to the O2 sensors, who then sent excessive fuel into the catalytic converter, causing a catalytic converter clog. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was informed of the Service Campaign notification, but the manufacturer denied assistance due to the mileage and lack of warranty coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740078May 26, 2026
STEERING, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at lower speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to steer in either the left or right direction. The Traction Control, Power Steering, and the high-beam warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent service center, where it was diagnosed with error codes: C167286, C126008, C136008, C126002, and C168808. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740144May 26, 2026
ENGINE
Was driving the vehicle up Berthoud Pass on [XXX] . Was a few miles past Berthoud Falls and realized that the vehicle power diminished, noticed smoke coming from the engine. Pulled over and noticed leaking underneath the engine. It appears that a bolt came loose and punctured the engine block. After further research, it appears that this engine recall should have applied to my vehicle, but did not: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738837May 19, 2026
ENGINE
In August 2025, my car went into "limp mode" (go no faster than 40 MPH and it was lurching and speed dropping) on the freeway, which was scary and dangerous. Once home, I called a certified mechanic. When this mechanic tried to start the car, it made a terrible clacking noise. He told me it sounded like the main bearings were going out. He discovered that there was a recall on this particular vehicle because the main bearings would fail. The local dealer confirmed that the car was subject to the recall and requested that the car be brought in. Because I am on limited income, I could not afford to have the car towed until November 2025. Once there, the dealership verified that the main bearings went out. A claim was made to the manufacturer. The claim was denied claiming "outside influence." I provided service records to the manufacturer, but before they had all the maintenance records, they closed my case and will no longer take documents or even speak to me or the dealer. I have been without a car for almost 10 months. I have seen documented cases that trying to start the car could lead to dangerous engine fires.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737676May 13, 2026
ENGINE
My vehicle has a lifetime warranty that is currently not being honored. It is currently in limp mode and showing a code P1326 which is an engine failure and possible fire hazard. The dealership has had my car for three weeks and have made no attempts to repair my vehicle which they are required to do by law under the Theta II Settlement. I was lied to by both dealerships. One stated my vehicle was branded as junk which was false. And now they are denying me due to mileage which shouldn’t be factor since the warranty is a lifetime warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736934May 11, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact's son owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being driven at 40-50 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk. The check engine light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined the failure was related to the engine. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,198.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737092May 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Car stopped in the middle of the road , with warning beeps and warning messages on the dashboard saying "Check Charging System" .Engine was still running but even though I did accelerate - car did not move . I put on the emergency lights and turned off the car . Turned on the car few seconds later and was able to drive then but the check engine light was on. Slowly drove back to the home as I was less than a mile from the home. It happened on a local road with speed limit of 35 MPH and thankfully vehicles behind me stopped until I pulled over. Me and and 7 year old kid was in the car at the time of this incident
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735716May 5, 2026
ENGINE
On 5/27/2026 I was driving home from work. Had just gotten off the frwy , was driving around 35-40mph, all of a sudden , engine turned off, after coming to a stop, holding up traffic, i put in park, and nothing, not crancking, a new battery was imstalled, 3 weeks prior, have recoreds of all maintenance! Checked oil level was good, radiator, had fluid, and fas tank was 1/2 full! Pushed to a side street ,Uberd, back home, later that evening , had car towed approx 5 miles to my house. Checked all fuses, ignition, and starter! Spoke with Local Hundai Dealership, scheduled a maintenance diagnostic to be performed! Could have been an accident, first time, ever experienced, such an issue!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735008May 1, 2026
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT
My infotainment unit stoped working after an update that was pushed to the car by Hyundai. My battery was beginning to show signs that it needed replacing (not cranking in the cold temps or needing a few tries to start), so I went to Advance Auto to have the battery replaced. Once back in the car, everything was working fine (radio with sirius XM, back up camera, Navigation, Android and Apple car plan, the clock, everything). When I went to reset the clock, the car showed a software update was availabe and needed to be downloaded. Never before, had I seen this. So, I selected update. After 30 minutes of seeing it say downloading, it then started to say install. It gets to where it says, the radio needs to be restarted to complete the update and then gives error code 604. Now the telematics or infotainment works. I reached out to mapit, Hyundia and Bluelink who all say, "to bad for you, buy a new one for $1600". I did not ask for the update, I did not go looking for the update and I did not push the update to my vehicle, Hyundia did and me and the other 2000 owners who are going through this should not have to pay that kind of money to have it repaired. If they new they were shutting down 3G service, then don't push the update to my car. Hyundia has admitted the issue for Hyundia Tusons and a few other vehicles but not for 2015 model Sonata's. So for Tusons they send out 3 SD cards to fix the issue, but refuse to do so for all the cars they pushed an update to that as they called it Bricked the head of the unit. I am looking for help to get this fix without me paying $1600. If Hyundia recognizes the problem in some cars and not others thats an issue. One that we the public would love help addressing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735022May 1, 2026
ENGINE
Engine – connecting rod bearing failure. Theta II engine. Hyundai confirmed the defect via Bearing Clearance Test (BCT) on October 3, 2025. The engine can seize without warning, causing sudden loss of power while driving – a clear safety risk. The problem has been confirmed by an authorized Hyundai dealership (Hertrich Hyundai of New Castle). The manufacturer issued Technical Service Bulletin 22‑EM‑001H (TXXI lifetime warranty) covering this exact defect. Despite confirming the failure, the manufacturer has refused to repair the engine. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. No crash, fire, or injury occurred. Warning signs included engine noise and illumination of check engine light before failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735056May 1, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
I have the 2015 Hyundai sonata with the 2.5 GDI engine that eventually will seize due to internal damaged caused by manufacture design flaws. My Hyundai threw a P0010 code which causes my car to idle high and causing low vacuum affecting my brakes. I had a diagnostic test done at a Hyundai dealership that told me it was a cvvt cam sprocket issue and that it was the beginning of the end of the engine, They quoted me 3700.00 but the engine was to far gone and this repair would only accelerate the engine to seize. They said since the engine isn't seize Hyundai will not cover the cost to repair or exchange the engine, I contacted the Hyundai customer service who stated since the repair that is needed wasn't the root cause of the problems associated with the engine swap warranty they were not going to help me even though I explained to them that the cars high accelerating and the braking system been jeopardized and been told the engine is beyond repairs I feel Hyundai should reconsider their decision and help a loyal customer. I have purchased 12 Brand New Hyundaj since 2001. The customer Representative was Extremely un Professional even suggesting I scrap my car, Also I contacted My Hyundai service Technician who said Hyundai customer service never contacted them about my car, When they said they spoke with the technician. Also I received an Extended warranty on the 2.4 GDI engine from Hyundai who many Hyundai customers are or have dealt with.I also purchased an Extended warranty Which I believe should have been extended as well Thank You
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732447April 20, 2026
ENGINE
since i have owned this car they have replaced the knock sensor twice. there is a recall on the engine for crank bearing wear, my car now is burning through 5 quarts of oil every 2 weeks with no oil leak spots on the ground. i would like them to replace the engine as per the recall. the knock sensor should be an indication of the bearings going bad. i have been getting the run around from the dealer in Salem, Oregon. so, i would like some assistance with this problem thank you for your time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731825April 17, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Component Involved: Hybrid Propulsion System High Voltage Battery / EV Battery Electrical System Power Train Incident Summary: I am reporting a serious and repeated safety defect involving my 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. This vehicle has experienced three separate incidents where warning messages related to the EV/hybrid battery system appeared, followed by a sudden loss of forward propulsion. During these events, the vehicle would not move properly or lost the ability to accelerate safely. This defect creates a major safety hazard because it can occur while driving, increasing the risk of being rear-ended, stranded in traffic, collision, injury, or property damage. I transport my small children in this vehicle and no longer feel it is safe. Detailed Timeline: Initial Incident: Vehicle displayed warning messages involving the EV/hybrid battery system and lost the ability to move forward properly. Vehicle had to be shut off and restarted. Independent Mechanic Inspection: Vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who advised the hybrid battery system likely needed repair or replacement and recommended service through Hyundai dealership. Dealer Visit #1 – Stew Hansen Hyundai (3/18/2026): Vehicle was taken to authorized Hyundai dealer for diagnosis. Dealer stated they could not duplicate the issue and no repair was made. Second Failure: After release from dealer, same dangerous loss-of-power condition occurred again, resulting in towing and additional inconvenience. Dealer Visit #2 – Stew Hansen Hyundai (4/8/2026): Vehicle returned to dealer for same issue. Dealer performed software update and stated this should correct problem. Dealer advised vehicle had been driven approximately 40 miles and was safe to release. Third Failure (4/12/2026 approx.): Only two days after picking vehicle up on 4/10/2026, same warning messages and propulsion failure occurred again. Safety Concern: This repeated loss of propulsion without warning is extremely dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730898April 13, 2026
ENGINE
CAR STOPPED ON THE ROAD LAST WEEK 4/6/26 COULD NOT START HAD TO GET TOWED MECHANIC SAYS NO OIL IN ENGINE RECEIVED OIL CHANGE LAST MONTH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730590April 11, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Idle and warning to not drive, 2025 very subtle cut off now full warning
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729990April 8, 2026
ENGINE
I will take 10k$ for the car or a new engine and steering, damages fixed. . I also need a rental by April 10th and $300 for inconvenience thus far. The engine stalled twice when driving over 2 months! The lawyer won't be forgiving.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729172April 4, 2026
ENGINE
Engine seized driving down the interstate doing 65 MPH in rush hour traffic could have been rear ended or hit vehicles around me trying to get off the road. Complete loss of power. Power steering was still active brakes were barely working. No warning lights (I had the knock sensor recall performed). Engine simply locked up solid. I was able to safely make it to the disabled vehicle lane and put the car in park. Engine had no sludge buildup and looked excellent once it was disassembled by the dealer. All engine bearings had spun. Engine was completely replaced under the extended warrenty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728999April 3, 2026
ENGINE
Hyundai dealership diagnosed my vehicle with engine failure, including a failed compression test and cylinder with no compression, and stated the engine required replacement. The dealership later refused to process the repair and attributed the issue to oil condition, contradicting their prior confirmed diagnosis. The vehicle became undrivable after the diagnosis and has remained in that condition. The refusal to address a confirmed engine failure raises concerns about a known defect and improper denial practices.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Hyundai Sonata